Gillard poll won't alter Abbott's timing

Prime Minister Julia Gillard's decision to call an election eight months out from the polling date is unlikely to force Tony Abbott to detail coalition policies or costings too far in advance.

Professor of Political Science at the Australian National University, Benjamin Reilly, has described Ms Gillard's decision on Wednesday to call the poll for September 14 as a gamble.

"We'll see if it works. To call one so far in advance is very unusual for Australia - I'm not aware of any comparative case at the federal level," Prof Reilly told AAP.

"I remember Bob Hawke had what was thought of back then as a monster election campaign that went for nine weeks but this is in a different league."

In an address to the National Press Club in Canberra, Ms Gillard said the coalition no longer had any excuse not to provide detailed costings ahead of the poll.

"I wouldn't expect to see costings or very concrete policies any time soon," Professor Reilly said.

"(Tony Abbott's) doing everything he can to avoid that and whenever he has been asked, he's said that information is not going to be released until well into the election campaign."

"I expect we'll find it's kind of business as usual."

The election writs to dissolve parliament won't be issued until August 12, which will allow four weeks for an official election campaign.

Seeking comparisons, the Australian Electoral Commission said only two previous campaigns stand out since 1951.

The 1958 and 1961 campaigns were each called three months in advance of parliament being dissolved.

ABC election analyst Antony Green says he doesn't believe an Australian election has been announced as far as eight months ahead.

"Prime Minister Menzies announced ... an election three months ahead of the date in 1958 and 1961," he said.

"To my knowledge that's the longest we've seen.

"Until 1990, it was common for the election date to be announced to the parliament and then sometimes the parliament would sit for a week or two until the writ was issued and parliament dissolved," he said.

"This is a departure from that modern tradition."

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